Phoenix Voting Snapshot

Less than three miles from the tony Biltmore Hotel and Spa where Senator John McCain will be giving his acceptance or concession speech this evening, we met Kathleen O'Leary working at a polling place.

This Phoenix neighborhood is primarily Caucasian, and O'Leary said the voters were quite chatty. She said that by 1pm Arizona time there were about 300 ballots cast in the precinct, and the voters she spoke to were divided about 50 -- 50 between McCain and Obama. Originally from the South Side of Chicago and an Obama supporter, she was happy the first voters to arrive at 5:30 this morning were African-American.

According to O'Leary, another young black man came in later with his mother and sister to vote. They were turned back for not having the correct identification. In Arizona voters are required to present either a photo ID or two pieces of identification without a picture. They returned a short time later with the proper identification and cast their ballots.

-- Amy Walters

5:53 PM ET | 11- 4-2008 | permalink

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